Tensions ran high at the Nakawa Chief Magistrate’s Court in Uganda on Friday after the legal team representing veteran opposition figure Dr. Kizza Besigye staged a walkout in protest of a controversial ruling. The decision by the presiding magistrate to allow proceedings to continue despite the absence of lead counsel Martha Karua triggered the dramatic exit, which Besigye’s team described as a violation of the right to fair legal representation.
Besigye, who is facing treason charges alongside Hajj Lutale and Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) Captain Denis Oola, appeared in court following a production order issued on May 22. According to the charge sheet, the trio is accused of holding clandestine meetings in Switzerland, Greece, and Kenya in 2023, allegedly aimed at toppling President Yoweri Museveni’s government. The prosecution further claims Besigye solicited military, financial, and logistical support for the plot.
Karua, a prominent Kenyan lawyer and politician, was notably absent during the session. When the defense team requested an adjournment citing Karua’s absence, the magistrate declined, ruling that the case could proceed with the available lawyers. The prosecution argued that the court could not be “held hostage” by Karua’s schedule, adding that she had not formally registered her residence or availability to the court.
“Our lawyers don’t have instructions from us to proceed in the absence of Martha Karua,” Besigye told the court, reinforcing his preference for representation by Karua specifically.
Following the magistrate’s refusal to grant an adjournment, Besigye’s legal team walked out of the courtroom, denouncing the ruling as unjust. They emphasized that the decision undermined their client’s constitutional right to legal counsel of his choice.
The court session ended without further submissions from the defense, casting uncertainty over the next steps in the politically sensitive case. The walkout underscores the continued legal and political battles facing Besigye, a long-time critic of Museveni’s administration, as tensions mount ahead of the case’s resumption.
